1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber illumination device and, more particularly, to an optical fiber illumination device for use with a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An increased emphasis on motor vehicle safety and reliability has presented a need for a clear, distinct, and brighter motor vehicle lighting system to improve the motor vehicle operator's awareness of the presence of surrounding motor vehicles and thereby, reducing the risk of costly personal injury and property damage attributed to motor vehicle collisions. Several attempts have been proposed to address this need. One such attempt is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,961, issued Sep. 29, 1992 to Jaime D. Gonzalez, who discloses an apparatus for illuminating a motor vehicle license plate. The apparatus includes an annular license plate cover having a channel therein for receiving an annular shaped neon tube and a high voltage, high frequency transformer. The annular shaped neon tube is connected to the high voltage, high frequency transformer which, in turn, is connected to the motor vehicle electrical system through a low voltage, high frequency power supply. Upon application of the motor vehicle brakes, the neon tube is energized. Though this neon tube emits a brilliant light, it may prove to be less effective than a center-high mounted brake light, that is, a brake light disposed approximately eye level with trailing motor vehicle operators.
Center-high mounted brake lights are well known. In fact, modern legislation or current federal regulations require motor vehicles to possess a center-high mounted brake light in addition to standard brake lights. The center-high mounted brake light is intended to maximize or greatly enhance the visibility of a motor vehicle braking for a motor vehicle operator trailing therebehind.
Generally, center-high mounted brake lights employ a standard lenticular lens and an incandescent lamp enclosed within a housing that is mounted in the motor vehicle rear window on the motor vehicle rear packaging shelf or dash board. An example of a center-high mounted brake light is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,183, issued May 5, 1992 to Frank Wang. Wang discloses an optical fiber brake lamp including a housing for accommodating a lamp, a focusing lens, and a color board. The lamp is preferably a halogen lamp as opposed to an incandescent lamp. The color board may be a single-color board or a rotatably driven, multi-color board. The color board thoroughly covers the focusing lens. Upon application of the motor vehicle brakes, the halogen emits light through the color board, the focusing lens, and further through a bundle of end-light optical fibers. The end-light optical fibers terminate in a display panel. The single-color board would provide a single-color display and the multi-color board would provide a multi-color display.
A significant problem associated with center-high mounted brake lights is that the housing typically obscures some portion of the rearward vision of the motor vehicle operator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,722, issued Jun. 19, 1990 to Slava A. Pollack, attempts to address this issue. Pollack discloses a transparent center-high brake light for motor vehicles. The brake light includes a crystal in the form of a transparent plate or optical fiber applied to a motor vehicle rear window, and an infrared energy source located at a remote location within the motor vehicle. The crystal, when illuminated by the infrared energy source, produces a visible light.
To further address the issue of obscuring the rearward vision of a motor vehicle operator, center-high mounted brake lights have also been mounted in motor vehicle body parts, such as in rear decks, spoilers, and roofs. An example of mounting an illumination device which is a motor vehicle body part is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,293, issued Aug. 7, 1990 to Glenn M. Johnson et al. Johnson et al. discloses a semi-trailer cargo vehicle perimeter clearance lighting system including light guides recessed in an indentation adjacent the roof of the semi-trailer cargo vehicle container body. The light guide is secured by clips and terminates in a cap. The light guide is configured to produce light flux propagation along its length as well as emit light laterally. The light guides originate from an enclosure having a removable cover. The enclosure contains a light source and a concave surface. The concave surface focuses light flux from the light source into the end of the light guide opposite its terminal end. To some degree, mounting the illumination device in a motor vehicle body part addresses the obscurity of rearward vision. However, the placement of the illumination device in the motor vehicle body parts may be somewhat complex and may impose structural limitations on the motor vehicle design.
In addition to the aforementioned patents, other patents which are deemed of interest are as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,632, issued Feb. 26, 1991 to Wallace R. Aikens, discloses a multi-color illuminating system including an elongated light source disposed within an inner tube having a diffusion medium and a light-transmitting opening opposite the diffusion medium. The inner tube, in turn, is disposed within an outer tube having light-transmissive portions of differing colors. Light from the light source is reflected from the reflective film through the diffusion medium and the light-transmitting opening of the inner tube, and further through the light-transmissive-opening of the outer tube against a sign or like object. The outer tube is rotatable relative to the inner tube by a motor to select a desired color for illumination.
A motor vehicle warning light device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,319, issued Apr. 23, 1991 to Erich Killinger who discloses a warning light device including an optical fiber display which is mounted to a motor vehicle rear roof and operable from the proximity of the motor vehicle operator. The warning light device is connected to the motor vehicle electrical system. A plurality of optical fiber bundles can be illuminated through individually triggered light sources and/or color filters.
Another optical fiber device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,893, issued Mar. 16, 1993 to Michael A. Mitko, who discloses a motor vehicle hood deflector which supports a sign. End-light optical fiber cables supply light to the sign from the motor vehicle head lamps.
A significant problem remains in that center-high mounted brake lights are costly, are not aesthetically pleasing, and, for the most part, remain to block the motor vehicle operator's view. Size, location, aesthetic appearance, and cooperation with existing motor vehicle structure and design all need to considered in devising a center-high mounted brake light. Visibility is especially critical in adverse weather conditions, such as in fog, rain, and snow.
It is desirable to present an illumination device for illuminating a motor vehicle and which would be relatively inexpensive and easy to install, that would be highly visible, and that would minimize the obstruction of the motor vehicle operator's rearward view.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.